If I completed my undergraduate degree in 3 years, and continued into a post-bacc program (still considered undergraduate), could I claim the American Opportunity credit?

Forum|Forum|7 years ago
June 4, 2019
2 replies
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If I completed my undergraduate program in three years, then began a post-baccalaureate program immediately after graduating, would I be able to claim the American Opportunity credit? The post-baccalaureate program is still considered to be undergrad, but I had earned a Bachelor's degree in the end of my third year.

TurboTax Deluxe Online

fanfare

Level 15

the AOC forms do not ask you how many degrees you have.

Critter

Level 15

Ok ... listen carefully ... school years and tax years are not the same thing ... and the AOC is allowed for ALL costs paid in the tax year IF you had not completed the the undergrad degree as of 1/1 of that tax year.... this is one of those weird rules. So if in 2018 you completed the undergrad degree sometime in 2018 then you can take the AOC credit for all tuition paid in 2018. You will not get the same option in 2019 ... going forward your only choice will be the Lifetime Learning Credit.